* I thought state Rep. Darlene Senger was serious about running for Congress. Her financial report doesn’t inspire much confidence…

Only about $18,000 separated the second-quarter fundraising efforts of Republicans Darlene Senger of Naperville and Chris Balkema of Channahon in their bid to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster.

Senger, a state lawmaker, raised about $82,500 in the last three months, and Balkema, a Grundy County board member, raised about $64,600. Ian Bayne, a private investigator from Aurora, didn’t file a report, according to federal election records.

Foster raised about $275,000 in the quarter. You gotta wonder how much the NRCC really has this race in its sights. From April 15…

Some hard-core recruiting efforts have been underway to entice state Rep. Darlene Senger to make a run against recently sworn-in Bill Foster (D-Ill) of the 11th congressional district.

National Republican Campaign Committee Chair Greg Walden and Senger had dinner in Chicago on Friday, according to a knowledgeable Republican source.

That followed a week of meeting with some top Republicans in Washington last week.

And yet she’s only raised $82.5K since then? What the heck?

* Meanwhile…

A centrist Republican group is joining with former senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) in an effort to raise and spend $8 million to defend centrist GOP incumbents in 2014 congressional primaries.

Main Street Advocacy and its allied super PAC, Defending Main Street, will take a step forward after playing a minimal role in recent elections. The move comes in direct response to the growing influence of conservative outside groups like the Club for Growth, which the head of Main Street denounced Tuesday as a “cancer” on the GOP. […]

The head of the Main Street organization, former congressman Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio), said it has already raised $2.5 million toward its goal and that he and Snowe will barnstorm the country together to raise the rest. The group will make expenditures from both its nonprofit issue advocacy arm and its super PAC, allowing donors to contribute to either (nonprofit donors do not need to be disclosed). […]

LaTourette said his group will seek to play in a limited number of races where it can have a bigger influence. He mentioned potential Club for Growth targets including Senate candidate Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) — who has been involved with the group — and Reps. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) and Susan Brooks (R-Ind.), along with Reps. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and David Joyce (R-Ohio). Joyce holds the seat LaTourette retired from last year.

* The Club for Growth’s “Primary My Congressman” website lists Schock and Congressman Adam Kinzinger as targets, but not Davis. The Davis folks don’t think they’re on the ultimate target list.

* In other news, state Rep. Mike Bost has already filed paperwork with the FEC for a run, but he says a formal Congressional announcement against Bill Enyart is still a couple weeks off…

But why would a legislator who would be considered a heavy favorite to recapture his House seat in 2014, think about running in a congressional district that has put many a Republican in early retirement?

“For the children,” he simply put.

“In serving in the Illinois House these last several years, I have come to see how much influence the federal government has — and can have — on our lives. I now have nine grandchildren and I want to make sure that my children, my grandchildren and the children and grandchildren of everyone in my district has a bright future.”

Bost said his decision will be made no later than July 29.